A group of students from the School of Business have played an important role in helping former professional baseball player and coach Yoel Monzon enhance his new business. Six then-freshmen students consulted for Monzon and his Ultimate Baseball Academy as part of a marketing class. The company provides pitching and batting lessons to baseball players, advises local baseball teams, and works with professional players during their off-season training.

School of Business students Torie O’Neil, Trisha Patel, Sidonia Swarm, Aaron Midden, Catherine Huang, and Nick Estevez analyzed the company’s strengths and weaknesses and helped promote the business by creating Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as developed an initial website for the company. As a result of the students’ work, the company expanded its location and modified its business strategy.

“Being able to sit down with a business owner and present our recommendations to [Mr. Monzon] gave us a better understanding of marketing and how we will use it as professionals in the future,” said O’Neil.

Students engaged in strategic planning by analyzing competitors’ prices, promotions and distribution, and ultimately decided the academy’s strengths were best suited for one-to-one instruction and private pitching and batting lessons, given Monzon’s extensive professional experience.

“I love for students to engage in experiential learning by applying what they learn in the classroom to serve the local community,” said Trini Callava, the School instructor who teaches the class. “This is a project that students will remember 10,20, 30 years from now.”

Originally from Matanzas, Cuba, Monzon started his career as a Major League Baseball player with the Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Indians before becoming a pitching coach for the Arizona League Brewers, the minor league baseball team of the Arizona League and the Rookie League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix, Arizona.